Gambit legal troubles stifle release

The Palm Gameboy emulator, Gambit, which was first announced here, will not see a fully playable release due to the legal issues of releasing an emulator. You can read Maven's full email update on the subject here. I have played with a beta of Gambit and it does work quite well. It's ashame that we won't see a fully playable release. But there is hope, a springboard for the Visor could be developed to plug an actual gameboy cartridge into a Gambit module. Maven is looking for help on developing such a spingboard. And if you are interested in helping out please drop him a line. Read the update.

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Gameboy springboard very unlikely

DaBuzz @ 10/14/1999 12:06:24 PM #
I don't think you'll see a gameboy springboard mainly
because Nintendo will fight it with a vengence due to
their upcoming plans for the new Gameboy.

What value will then new unit have when you can do the
same stuff with a Visor and Gameboy EMU springboard?

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, it's just one Nintendo
will fight tooth and nail.

Getting developers to port apps directly to CF or springboard
modules is a much better way to go in my opinion.

RE: Gameboy springboard very unlikely
Maven @ 10/14/1999 12:13:42 PM #
Actually, the ability to plug in a ROM from the Gameboy would not give you the ability to play Gameboy Advanced (the code name for Nintendos new portable system) or even Gameboy Color games. All it will do is allow the reading of code from the ROM without converting it to a Palm file. This is completely legal, as has been demonstrated in the Bleem! -vs- Sony case. Bleem! plays the original, unaltered CD-ROM, and thus does not violate copyrights.
RE: Gameboy springboard very unlikely
DaBuzz @ 10/14/1999 1:39:46 PM #
Legal or not, Nintendo WILL fight it tooth and nail, you can bank on that.

Not many companies will take the time/$$$ to develop a product that they KNOW will be
tied up in court for months, if not years by Nintendo even if they made their product legally.

Who knows, I could be wrong ... but I don't think I am. ;)

Think of What it would allow though.
Springer @ 11/30/1999 2:31:01 PM #
such as real-time gameplay, quality sound, ir link-up, saved games. This would probably also allow an easier approach for running rom files from third party software on the Visor. All remaining in prestine quality in display & sound, as it was ment to be played.

Any other for public download???

Traxs @ 10/14/1999 12:08:46 PM #
Has anyone see a emu so you can play gameboy games on a palm III

Please email me of so at traxs@email.com

RE: Any other for public download???
I.M. Anonymous @ 10/14/1999 12:11:32 PM #
Nobody else has been able to get enough speed out of the Palm for a emu. There are two other emulators which have been ported to the Palm, but the speed is 40-60 times slower than a real Gameboy. Completely unplayable.

What's the problem with an emu for this system?

Vico @ 10/14/1999 1:35:33 PM #
There are emulators for most systems, and they are freely available. They can run backup-copies of your gameboy-roms, so why couldn't Gambit do that? Of course it would only be legal to use the backup-roms of the games you have, and not those ones downloaded from the net, but that's not something the author of Gambit has to worry about, it's up to the users.
Legality of playing backups of ROMs
I.M. Anonymous @ 10/14/1999 1:54:12 PM #
Check out the link to the EmuFAQ in Maven's letter. It is actually NOT legal to play a ROM that has been backed up to a disk. That's an internet myth.

I will go on.

klyatskin @ 10/15/1999 6:54:10 AM #
Hi
My strong opinion is that you (or me) can develope any application for Palm platform.
It would be a legal problem for those only who use illegal ROM images.
As for me I do use only open sources for GB internal world and the ways to emulate it. So I do go on and hope to publish new version of my GBoyEMU with speed burst soon.
Check my site, please.

If you, Maven, or anybody from Nintendo or Gameboy developers do really want to port some of their titles to Palm Platform I would be happy to cooperate in any way. Just contact me.

Regards,

Constantine Klyatskin
---------------------
http://klyatskin.da.ru" CLASS=NEWS>http://klyatskin.da.ru

RE: I will go on.
Maven @ 10/15/1999 8:09:08 AM #
Actually, I hope you do manage this... Of course, you will have to completely re-write the emulator to get enough speed, or maybe you can just wait for faster Palms? The port of VGB is really slow. I can tell you from experience you won't be able to port ANY existing emulator. They just aren't optimized enough. I've been hand-tuning assembly language for the last six months. Good Luck! I'll keep watching your site for more details.
RE: I will go on.
klyatskin @ 10/15/1999 10:08:58 AM #
Yeah, from the scratch...

What about other Gameboy emulators ?

Ophir @ 10/24/1999 8:50:16 AM #
Could someone please explain to me why releasing a gameboy emulator for the Palm should be any different than releasing one for the PC or Windows CE ?
I have found SEVERAL gameboy emulators being distributed for other platforms without Nintendo doing anything about it.

WinCe

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/31/2000 7:24:54 PM #
Why do WinCE platforms get a gameboy emu and we don't
I think that Nintendo should grant the emulator without
any questions! I also think that gameboy sucks and Palm
Rules!!

G-boy emulator.

Dracle @ 3/25/2000 1:51:21 PM #
I really don't see how nintendo could touch you for releasing an emulator for their gaming system. It's perfectly legal to play any game on your computer, with an emulator, as long as you own it. And I'm doubtless the same thing goes for the palm. I do know that it is illegal to have ROMS in your possesion, in any format, that you do not legally own, or have purchased it.. But, it's completely legal to offer the software necessary to emulate their system. I'm certain that they don't own the legal rights to the Z80 processor. And to wether it is legaly being 'used' or not, is purely for the USERS of your emulator to decide.

-The Dracle.

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